A simple analysis and summary from a semiconductor practitioner is: short-term waste heat

A simple analysis and summary from a semiconductor practitioner is: short-term waste heat, wafer prober medium- and long-term development without considering th...

Nov 08,2023 | Annie

A simple analysis and summary from a semiconductor practitioner is: short-term waste heat, wafer prober medium- and long-term development without considering the future of the country is a passing choice, but we are definitely not for a good choice.

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As a result, the semiconductor industry in China remains mostly in the middle and lower reaches of the industrial chain, vulnerable to patent barriers and trade barriers, and unable to expand profits. The semiconductor industry in China has a hard time growing.

In the semiconductor industry at the top, probe test prosperity is not really a problem. ZF was concerned with national security, not technological advantage, and local and major semiconductor companies understood ZF's intentions. As a result, they rapidly expanded their factories, and all kinds of design start-ups sprung up. There are thunderstorms, hoaxes, and flowers that transmit scents.

For semiconductor workers in China, those who joined the industry seven or eight years ago and achieved success aside, most are not earning enough from it to fulfill their personal potential. On one hand, whether in design, wafer probing manufacturing or packaging, employees take their work very seriously and individual success is heavily reliant on the team and company. However, this combined with the intense competition makes it difficult for later joiners to keep up. This results in enterprises adopting a demanding 996 schedule, with reduced wages, increased workload, forced overtime and deepening midlife crises. Consequently, achieving work-life balance becomes challenging for these practitioners as benefits diminish and the risk of bankruptcy or non-renewal for middle-aged companies increases.

Personal opinions that are immature and irresponsible

This is a detailed analysis of the data, I focus on the second and third questions, the first is that the answer can be found from the analysis of the two and three questions.

China's semiconductor industry, whether it is design, manufacturing, or packaging, basically stays in the middle and lower reaches of the industrial chain, vulnerable to patent barriers and trade barriers, and hard to expand profits. Thus, the semiconductor industry in China has a hard time growing.

From my personal experience, I am familiar with production and have some knowledge of design. When it comes to China's semiconductor industry, there is a clear division between the middle and downstream sectors, which involve manufacturing integration, packaging, terminal sales, and product distribution. However, in terms of upstream industries like manufacturing plates, China has limited to no presence. Crucial markets such as semiconductor equipment and component supplies are largely dominated by foreign companies. Few domestic companies offer a complete system and those that do often rely on reselling after making modifications. While there are some domestic equipment options for certain processes like etching, they still face barriers due to foreign patents. In addition, the majority of equipment professionals only handle installation, simulation, pre-sales support, and maintenance. This trend is also seen in the design sector where software tools play a significant role and flow charts are highly relied upon. Ultimately, this highlights the immense importance of the manufacturing process and equipment sector in particular.

The above points are crucial because China's semiconductor industry appears to be thriving, but it is extremely fragile. If the equipment and software used in the production of semiconductors are restricted, China's industry will have no means to defend itself. This holds true for leading companies such as Hisilicon and Huahong SMIC. Even the rapidly growing third-generation semiconductors rely on these companies. Hence, this is a key factor driving the US to tightly control equipment patents and authorized usage in the trade war. Furthermore, losing a share of the upstream market would result in substantial profits for companies with equipment output and patent barriers, leaving China's semiconductor industry with insufficient funds for research and development. Ultimately, this lack of influence in the upstream market makes it challenging for China's industry to grow or generate significant profits.

The primary factor behind China's extended stay in the comprador thinking and social labor population dividend stage is its historical and cultural development. Despite this, both ZF and senior management practitioners should not neglect the importance of information technology knowledge-intensive fields. As a result, China lacks a strong drive to impact the upstream industrial structure. While laypeople and grassroots engineers recognize the significance of the semiconductor material industry, senior executives of semiconductor companies and relevant government officials show little concern for it.

simple analysis passing choice